Daniil Medvedev disqualified from China Open semi after hitting fan with ball

Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final with Novak Djokovic on Monday after hitting a rebounding ball into the crowd that struck a spectator in the eye.

The Russian world No 5 was trailing 7-5, 5-3 and had lost a point when, in frustration, he struck a ball that had come off the back wall. The spectator, sitting in the first row, clutched his left eye and appeared in pain as he left the gallery, assisted by the stadium’s staff.

“Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all,” Medvedev said, adding it was “100% an accident” and that he wished to apologise in person. “The ball was bouncing back so I tried to just hit it anywhere so it doesn’t go out from the court. When I saw the result I felt horrible.”

The incident added further to a fiery reputation for the 2021 US Open champion, three times a losing finalist at the Australian Open, born of a series of incidents where Medvedev’s temper has flared. In April, at the Monte Carlo Open, he smashed his racket several times and placed the remnants in a courtside dustbin during his 6-0, 6-0 loss to Matteo Berrettini.

At the 2025 US Open, he received a $42,500 fine after losing his temper when a photographer interrupted Benjamin Bonzi’s serve for match point. Play was held up for more than six minutes as Medvedev riled up the crowd and insulted the umpire. “What I say and what I do, in my head, I want to do worse and I cannot because there are rules, because we’re on a tennis court,” he said.